To support local organizations in their work against poverty and to give students opportunities to take part in this important work, the Alliance for Civic Engagement funds two internships each summer in which students take active and meaningful roles in the community by working firsthand with poverty-related issues in Addison County.
We are pleased to announce the internship sites for summer 2008! Due to special funding the ACE office is able to support an additional internship opportunity -- this summer only -- for a total of three interns placed at the Addison County Farm Worker Coalition, Addison County Housing Coalition, and the John Graham Emergency Shelter.
Application Process
Interns for summer 2008 have been chosen. Please check back in spring 2009 to apply next year.
Questions?
Contact Ashley Calkins, Ex. 3099, jcalkins@middlebury.edu
Summer 2008 Internships
Addison
County
Farm
Worker Coalition
The Addison County Farm Worker Coalition was developed in response to the growing number of farm workers on Addison County Dairy farms with limited access to health care, lack of transportation, fear of deportation, and isolation by language barriers. While making great progress on the health care front, there is still a huge need for social and recreational opportunities for this population and a working system for linking the many interested volunteers with meaningful ways to engage and assist. The intern will be tackling two major needs for the Coalition; formalizing the volunteer linkage systems and expanding the social and recreational opportunities available for the farm workers.
Addison County Housing Coalition
The Addison County Housing Coalition is comprised of a cross-sector group (non-profit, government, and business) working towards improvements in housing stability for residents of Addison County. The “Housing Solutions” program coordinates a pool of funds to assist people in need of money to find or stay in their homes and to also provide basic case management to help overcome the root causes of their housing instability. The intern will help with Housing Solutions efforts including client outcome questionnaires and direct contact with program participants to gather data. The intern will also work to develop and coordinate programs that promote financial literacy and credit counseling efforts in Addison County.
John Graham Emergency Shelter
The John Graham Emergency Shelter summer intern will be a key player in providing food, shelter and hope to Addison County’s homeless population. The intern will work closely with Shelter Executive Director to provide residents with comprehensive goal setting, case management, and other on-site services including health care, mental health counseling, assistance with housing and employment search and referral. On any given day the intern could be helping a resident prepare a resume, visiting the library with a pregnant mother to research pre-natal health and diet, or coordinating a community dinner.
Previous Interns
2007:
Saila Huusko ('10) worked in a position at Addison County Community Action Group (ACCAG). Click here to watch Saila's presentation on her internship experience.
Christy Martenson ('08) worked at the John Graham Emergency Shelter in Vergennes. Click here to watch Christy's presentation on her internship experience.
2006:
Vijay Chowdhari ('09) worked at the Family Services Division of the Department for Children and Families in Middlebury. Vijay reflects on his experience, "Students need to understand the value of volunteering our services not in the time we spent doing great things but in those occasions where we cement relations with the community itself."
Alex Hall ('08) worked at the John Graham Emergency Shelter in Vergennes.